Pressure Continues To Mount On Jay Jacobs
by Jay Coulter
on Jan 8, 2008 7:05 PM CST
in News
By Jay Coulter
jccoulter@gmail.com
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I received a number of emails expressing anger toward Jacobs over the handling of the Will Muschamp departure to Texas.
More than 5,000 miles away the same scenario is being played out in Honolulu. Hawaii fans are angry over the way the school’s athletic director, Herman Frazier handled the contract negotiations with head coach June Jones.
You probably read that Jones accepted the coaching job at SMU on Monday. Things have gotten so bad for Frazier that he’s expected to step down at any moment.
Here’s a quote from a state representative on the island commenting about the contract negotiations with Jones...
"Was the ball dropped? Definitely. Is director Frazier to blame? I believe so," said state Rep. K. Mark Takai, who led a legislative briefing in May regarding concerns with the athletics program.
"I don't think that the athletics program can function now with Frazier at the helm. Changes are going to have to be made."
Luckily for Hawaii, the president of the university stepped to the plate and handled the situation. President David McClain issued this statement...
"I also want to apologize to our fans and all of Hawaii for matters getting to this stage in the first place," he said. "Exceptional performance deserves exceptional recognition and your university was slow to step up. That won't happen again."
Does this sound familiar?
Change the name of the schools and plug in Muschamp for Jones and you could be talking about the same place.
Again the question begs, if you are the athletic director at Auburn why engage in a heated argument with one of your most valued employees?
Muschamp didn’t leave Auburn because it was a better job. Nor did he leave for more money (he’s making the same amount at Texas).
Forget about talk of taking the Texas job because it set him up for a better position down the road.
He left for the same reason most everyone leaves a job. He didn’t feel appreciated where he was employed.
He didn’t feel like he had the support he needed. And don’t think for a minute it wasn’t lost on him how they treated Tommy Tuberville in his contract negotiations a few weeks earlier.
Now contrast this with the reception he received in Austin. Muschamp was not only met by head coach Mack Brown, but also was greeted by the school’s president. Both asked him to join their team.
What would you have done? I know where I’d be cashing my check.
As painful as this experience has been, it may end up working to Auburn’s advantage. Hopefully it has gotten the attention of Auburn President Jay Gogue.
Hawaii did the right thing. Will Auburn?
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Seriously???
I suppose I have been under a rock or something because I have not seen anything else regarding this whole Muschamp debacle and if there is anyone to blame it is Muschamp. Normally I agree with most things that you post Jay but this one is absurd. It is beat reporters, bloggers, and people like Paul Finebaum that keep this story going. What's done is done. It's over. Tuberville will hire a defensive coordinator that best suits Auburn. He has done it time after time so why should this time be any different?
Again, I will say that this whole debacle has been blown out of proportion in my eyes. Muschamp went to Texas to beef up his resume and after Jacobs tried to get him to stay by giving him everything he wanted he decided to just leave. So quit blaming this on Jacobs. I guess I am the only one that feels this way.
Either way I wish Muschamp the best of luck at Texas and I am sure that this little story will eventually die down if the talking heads let it.
Now let's wait in anticipation of who Tuberville hires as our NEW defensive coordinator!!!
War Eagle!
by kerr024 on Jan 8, 2008 7:37 PM CST 0 recs
Oh for christs sake........
You "feel" thats the truth? you get on Jay's case because you "feel" thats the way it happened? Jay makes very plausible statements and you "feel" he's full of conjecture? Look into your crystal ball and tell me the winning numbers on this weeks LOTTO while your channeling.
by Todd92 on Jan 8, 2008 11:32 PM CST 0 recs
Winning numbers...
are 17-10, 23-20, and 6. :-)
by War Eagle Atlanta on
Jan 9, 2008 10:38 AM CST
up
0 recs
I agree with Kerr on this one.
From everything I've been reading, including Philip Marshalls' column, I believe that this was a combination of two things. 1) Flaring Tempers 2) Muschamps unwaivering desire to leave for Texas. It seems to me that once Muschamp got his feathers ruffled, he couldn't be an adult about it and just take a breather to think things over. Instead, like a 5 year old, he pitched a tantrum, threw his old toy away and went to play with the new one. I don't care what profession you are in, we all know that sometimes tempers flare, even with the best of employees and their bosses. How you handle it determines your character and professionalism. Muschamp failed to display quality levels of either. I liked Muschamp, but just seems that his ego got in the way on this one. Good luck to him in all his future endevures, and for his sake, hope our paths don't cross again! WDE!!!!!!
Moving on to our next DC....can't wait to hear who it'll be!! I'm sure with Tubs running the ship, he'll be a great one!
by whitem12003 on Jan 9, 2008 8:25 AM CST 0 recs
I think Kerr has it
Look, there's plenty of blame to go around, but I'm convinced that Muschamp was gone regardless. It doesn't make any sense for us to keep squabbling about it. I'm not convinced that Jacobs is the best man for the job, but who else are we going to get?
From Jay C.'s column earlier this week, it's apparent that we need a 'real' executive to run this $40M enterprise, but what outsider in his right mind is going to want to step in and play these deep family politics? Seriously? Auburn is one big dysfunctional family, like they all are, but these 'old school ties' are probably the most difficult and devisive to deal with. People are just too impassioned when it comes to dealing with their alma mater and it's most visible segment, the football team.
The only tempering factor for someone considering taking over the AD's office in Auburn is the fact that at least we're not in Tuscaloosa.
by War Eagle Atlanta on Jan 9, 2008 10:50 AM CST 0 recs
Applause
I applaud you Mr. Coulter. You apparently have the same insight into this situation that have. The AD at Auburn has long been a mere puppet and a mouth piece for a derelict EX coach and a micro-managing banker and while I do not think that the dismissal of Jacobs will immediately make everything better, I do believe that it will send a very stern message. No real progress will be attained until ALL of the rodents have been eradicated.
by EAGLE EAGLE on Jan 10, 2008 3:24 AM CST 0 recs
Tubberville for AD???
I don't see it happening, but why not? He runs the football team like a CEO. Tubb's specialty is not his "win one for the Gipper style motivational speeches", it's assembling the best possible group of coaches and players and then managing them. When Tubberville first got to AU he was not a favorite among the players, but look at the success of our teams and the quality of the players versus the last year or two of the Bowden era when we got the FSU leftovers. In my opinion Tubberville would be a great AD, and it would give him the control that he has long wanted, not to mention it might actually go a long way towards healing some old wounds - which it now appears have never fully healed...This worked for UGA and Dooley, 25 years as head coach, 25 years as AD, 10 of which overlapped, and he was an Auburn man, not a Georgia alum and he gave UGA 40 years of service. In finale I would rather have Tubberville pick the next Auburn coach after his retirement than have Bobby Lowder push a high dollar contract through for Bobby Petrino. Already looking forward to next year and finding out the new D Coordinator, Tubberville will get a good one, I'm sure of that! War Eagle!
by auconyers on Jan 10, 2008 8:59 AM CST 0 recs
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